'The Lamb Lies Down' on Webster Street

Last Friday, the
Musical Box came to the Riviera Theatre in Tonawanda. The
Montreal-born Genesis tribute band played a theatrical recreation of
the seminal album "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway."

A monster in terms
of prog-rock and concept albums, "The Lamb" describes a troubled,
half Puerto Rican youth's surrealistic struggle to understand the
world around him as well as his own duality. Genesis' last work
with lead singer Peter Gabriel, the tour following the 1974 album was
full of costume changes, theatrics, a three-screen slide show,
pyrotechnics, lights and, of course, plenty of musical talent.

According to the
Musical Box's website, it is the only band with performing rights
from Peter Gabriel and Genesis to perform "The Lamb Lies Down on
Broadway." Not only did this enable the band to play the show in
its entirety, but the Musical Box also used the original three-screen
slide show as a backdrop throughout the concert. Pop culture and
political icons, artwork and urban scenery provided the ambiance
Genesis had intended.

Singer Denis Gagne
was dressed as "The Lamb's" protagonist, Rael, in a leather
jacket, jeans and a white shirt. With his impeccable spoken version
of Rael's story between songs, one couldn't help but be drawn
into the narrative.

Mirroring Genesis'
production, the Musical Box featured a double-necked six-string bass
and 12-string guitar to match Mike Rutherford's, and an extensive
drum and percussion setup to emulate Phil Collins' sound on the
original tour. And emulate the band did. All of the ethereal
soundscapes, the mood-setting organ and the finger-blistering
sweep-picking and finger-tapping were there. All with the intensity
and emotion that make a live show great.

The second half of
"The Lamb" brought numerous costume changes and a much more
palpable sense of the surreal. A spinning, cone-shaped structure
covering Gagne during "The Lamia" was reminiscent of a giant
kaleidoscope and gave way to a white body suit glowing in the black
light. The iconic and grotesque "Slipperman" costume was spot-on,
complete with giant warts and inflatable genitalia.

As if the
90-minute theatrical concert was not enough, the Musical Box returned
after a powerful standing ovation. The encore began with a rendition
of its namesake and continued with "Watcher of the Skies," which
added nearly 30 minutes to the show.

For the "Watcher
of the Skies" finale, Gagne donned a large, rainbow-colored cape
and bat wings on his head in the same fashion as Gabriel's
original. This many-hued, electric climax was the ideal culmination
of a very trippy show, leaving a resounding applause and many an
audible "Wow!" throughout the audience.